Craftastic: Kids Art Winter Ornaments

In three days, our house has been properly Christmas-tized–corners iced with twinkly lights, nooks adorned with pinecones. This morning, as I stepped out onto cold tile after my shower, I smelled the residue of dust that has rested on electric heat pipes for a good nine months and finally got the chance to burn off. Yes, we ran the heater–a monumental occasion down here but one to be celebrated when it lines up properly with holiday preparation.

Sweaters!

The unspoken agreement in our home is that I get the final say on inside decor and Brett has the outside. In other words, I don’t exactly love flashing, colored LED lights that scream Vegas, Vegas, Vegas! But Brett loves them, and I like the way they make him happy. I will put my foot down when he attempts to synchronize them with landscape speaker-blasted Grandma Got Ran Over by a Reindeer.

Tradition and home are such comforting things right now. And I love that elements of both of these are controllable–I can create so much of what I want for my family. So that’s what we do right now.

This little Hallmark music maker has been around since Lainey received it on her second Christmas. It is a favorite of my girls.

We crafted and created a lot this past weekend. I’ll share a few of my favorite creations this week, the first being this little snowglobe gift. I’ve been trying to think of a way to turn some of Lainey’s drawings into Christmas gifts, and I had some leftover supplies from our winter terrarium (will share later this week). We combined them to create winter scenes for her art.

We’ve been using Sachiko Umoto’s drawing book to guide Lainey in drawing some woodland creatures. She’s very meticulous (;o) tedious) and it takes her a long time, so if I were to do this over I’d scan the artwork first and duplicate it to make several ornaments for friends and family to save her from drawing too many.

Breakin’ down into teeny tiny easy steps.

KIDS ARTWORK WINTER WONDERLAND ORNAMENTS:

You’ll need:

* Clear Glass or Plastic Fillable Ornaments. We found ours at Joanns and they work great because they are flattened, making it easy to adhere drawing.* Your child’s artwork (keep it small, no bigger than 2 1/2 inches tall).* Pure white crafting sand (available at craft stores). We used white craft sand because we already had it, but I’m sure you could also use some version of artificial snow.* Fine White Glitter* Tiny Pinecones (if you can find them outside; otherwise we found a bag of tiny ones at Joanns)* Craft Moss* Tacky Glue, Scissors* Optional: Fabric scraps to cover the ornament fixture at the top

1. Cut around the edge of your child’s artwork.

2. Paint a thin layer of glue behind artwork.

3. Carefully roll/bend artwork so it can be slipped into ornament ship-in-a-bottle style.

4. Using tweezers, carefully slide artwork into ornament, being careful not to get glue where you don’t want it.

5. Once in position (not too close to the bottom because your snow will cover it up), press down against back of ornament.

6. Using the end of a paintbrush or pencil, smooth edges of artwork down to make sure everything is adhered to ornament.

7. Create a paper funnel and pour white sand mixed with a little fine glitter into ornament. Stop when snow level is to your liking (I like the art critter to look like he’s sitting in the snow).

8. Using tweezers, drop in one tiny pinecone (you might need to give it a little push).

9. Add a tiny scrap of moss.

10. Reattach ornament fixture. Our ornaments are very secure–light enough where the ornament does not pull away from the fixture. You may want to hot glue yours if it feels like it’s pulling.

11. To add a little more, squeeze a little glue along the edge of ornament fixture…

12. …and cover with a strip of your favorite fabric.

Voila. Hello cute little critter on your tree. Merry Christmas. Now make ten more and give them away. You will get smiles…promise.

If you seek, you shall find. Because, look…in Florida. It’s beginning to look a lot like…

This time of year, this blog space becomes invaluable to me. I’ll sprinkle it with glitter. Take some if you like.

I hope your weekend was kind to you.

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Comments

Oh your tree is beautiful! And I love your home made ornaments. This needs to happen in our home. We put up our decorations yesterday which is quite early for England but we just couldn’t help ourselves. Then we sat down an watched Elf. “The best way to spread Christmas Cheer is to sing out loud for all to hear”

hey, i think i discovered your blog at exactly this time last year. i read about the party at the north pole, saw those magical pictures and old fashioned milk bottles with stripy straws…and i’ve hooked ever since. can’t wait for your glittery and inspiring posts this season!

Thank you for your inspiration, I would be lying if I said I don’t come to your blog everyday and read, sometimes new posts, sometime archives….you are a very busy mama, I wish I knew about you when my daughter was little, there are so many nifty things I could have done….she’s 14, so there is no North Pole party….unless when grandbabies come.Thank you againLaenaSaskatchewan, canada

Thanks for the tute…we will be making those ASAP. My little guy just started making people, so ours will have to sub funny Christmas people instead of the gorgeous woodland animals. Not quite as elegant, but sweet nonetheless.

Oh Kelle, I love this. so much fun. I don’t have kids as you know but I have my cousins little kids (okay, 13, 11, and 10….geez I always think of them as babies!) but I adore them and I love them and this would be so fun to do. Thank you. By the way, for the record, great spirit if you’re listening- i really want babies.

Your house is looking so beautiful and festive! Love it! Thanks for sharing the tutorial. I am going to make those with my kids! They’ll love it! Enjoy those frigid temps (did it drop into the low 60’s? 😉

Your tree looks absolutely magical and the ornament is very cute indeed. I do love the lights on the palm tree too, it makes me want a palm tree so I can decorate it like yours. I’m in the southern hemisphere so the nights are getting lighter and longer here instead of darker and more cozy (I’m from the UK so I do struggle a bit with a sunny Christmas). I like to read how you incorporate your traditions from somewhere with a different climate into your current home. Jo x

I gasped a little to myself when I saw this on instagram, and I was like how in the world did she get that in there?? Now it makes sense. Great tutorial. Those are just precious and your peeps will love them!

Just wanted to say, I love reading your blog. I have quite a few blogs I read, but I am always excited to see you have a new post, and I always wait and leave your blog for last to savor it! I have a daughter who is just a few days older then Nella, and twin boys born New Years day 2012. Last year, I was not in the mood to decorate for Christmas, or really even celebrate. Looking back I realize I was pretty depressed whether it was because I was in a lot of pain, or it just plain hurt to move.

I am happy to say though that I am back to fully embracing the Christmas spirit this year. We already have our tree and decorations, and I already have at least 2 craft projects planned to do. Thank you for writing your blog, it brightens my day!

I love the little animal ornaments. I’m gonna have to put that craft into action this weekend with my little.

My thoughts are about the same as yours when it comes to lights outside the house. My husband loves those multicolored lights and goes crazy decorating, while I like to keep it simple and rustic on the inside. But when I look at how excited my husband gets and also the look on my son’s face when he “helps daddy” put lights up and that changes everything. I’m grateful for a man that will spend one of his few precious off days to decorate our house so wild that Clark Griswald would be proud and I just stand back with utter aww and amazement and breath it all in.

Such a sweet keepsake. I wish I had done something like that with my children. Instead we have “ghosts” that my daughter made out of tissue by herself. They are supposed to be angels. We pull them out every year and laugh.

Can I just tell you how inspiring this blog space is for me?! I was already excited about homemade ornaments, sweaters, and the whole Christmas she-bang… but now? Trip to Hobby Lobby and Starbucks are on the agenda. Thank you for sharing your excitement – it’s contagious in the best way!

Hi Kelle, I am a reader from México, and I must say that you trully inspire me to set goals for me to achieve, no master how impossible they may seem… I’m a sucker for christmas and crafting just like you so I think we have things in common.I admire your strenght with the DS and how you manage everything, I don’t know if you are familiar with Pablo Pineda, if not, you should see this video http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=9Q2cVc32VdA he is a guy from Spain, he has DS and he graduated from College he is a very inspiring guy, I just thought you should know, cause when I first heard of this amazing guy and its amazing story all I could ever think about, was you and Nella, and your efforts efforts in order to create awareness among people that we are all equal, and we can all achieve whatever goal we set, no matter if you have down syndrome, or wether you’re in a wheelchair.Hugs and blessings to you and your family!

i love this craft idea!! thanks for sharing…loved your book btw…but i am stumped – how do you do it?? i am a mom of 4 boys and i look at your photos & you look wonderful ALL THE TIME & i just don’t get it!! i wanna be all pretty too!! :)) i am proud when i get out of my sweats & put my contacts in!! enjoy your blessings & keep it real!

Your blog and your children and your decorations (not in that order!) are so beautiful! And Lainey is so talented! I don’t have any little ones to make woodland creature drawings for me, but those ornaments are so cute I might just have to do some myself!!!

Lainey’s drawings are amazing!! So creative and talented. She takes after her mama 😉 Also your house looks amazingly festive, just beautiful. I’m torn this year…debating whether or not to decorate before my little guy’s 1st birthday in December (on the 8th). I don’t think I can hold out until after his birthday… 😉

I just have to say that I can’t wait for you to have that baby boy! We attempt crafts in my house, but with three little boys, they are very different. Let’s just say they are loud, messy and fast…I wouldn’t have them any other way but I do envy the adorable ones you get to do with your girls!

Your daughters are so beautiful! I just found my way here through Post Tenebras Lux -blog. I knew I *had* to leave a comment when I scrolled down and noticed your youngest daughter owns 2 sets of pajamas like my daughter. (The monkeys and the winter/christmas animals). I will try to get ahold of your book and read it. Have a blessed Christmas.